1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to surface heating systems such as heating tiles used on floor surfaces.
2. Background Art
Heating floors have been a type of surface heating system widely used in the industry for a long time. During the last decades, concerns over energy savings and improvements in thermal insulation have brought this type of heating system into houses as well, where it has become increasingly popular.
Electrical residential heating floors systems are widely used. One type of electrical system usually comprises a heating cable or wire which is embedded in a concrete slab. The concrete slab is floating on the standard subfloor and receives thereon the desired floor lining. A main disadvantage of this system is that the floor heats up relatively slowly due to the low heat conducting properties of concrete.
A second type of electrical system which is widely used usually comprises a heating film which is installed between the subfloor and the floor lining. Because of its low inertia, this system heats up more quickly than the alternative electrical system described above, but is generally unable to accumulate and retain a significant amount of energy in order to reduce electrical costs.
Hydronic residential heating floors systems are also widely used. One type of hydronic system comprises pipes in which heated water is circulating and which are either placed between the subfloor and floor lining or embedded in a concrete slab similar to the one described above. However, hydronic systems can be costly since they require and auxiliary heating system for the water as well as pumps to create the water flow. Moreover, like the similar electrical system, the hydronic system using a concrete slab heats up relatively slowly due to the low heat conducting properties of concrete.
Moreover, all of the systems which are installed under the floor lining can be difficult and costly to repair due to the necessity of removing the lining to access the system, which usually necessitates the installation a new floor lining after the repair.